And on this Head I shall be short, there being no Occasion of many Words on it. The _Bishop_ of _London_[332] has collected many Sayings of _Jesus_, wherein he seems to appeal to the Works he then did and had done in Flesh, as to a Witness of him. But why might not _Jesus_ then prophesy, and mean the spiritual Works which _He-in-us_ would do? It is the known Way of the Prophets to speak of Things to come, as if they were already past, because such Prophecies are not to be understood, till their Accomplishment: Even so did _Jesus_ prophesy, when he appeal'd to his Works, as I could prove from the Nature and Manner of his Expressions, but that the Argument would be dry and tedious: And therefore I refer the Matter entirely to the Fathers, who asserted that _Jesus_ prophesied in his _Miracles_ as well as in his _Parables_, and that the Works he then did in the Flesh were but Types of his mysterious Operations, that would be the Demonstration of his Authority and Messiahship. Hence it is that _Origen_[333] says that _Jesus_'s first coming was but a Type and Shadow of his spiritual Advent and that his[334] true Miracles, by which his Authority is to be proved, are spiritual: Hence it is that St. _Hilary_ repeatedly says[335] that _Jesus_'s Works were significative and predictive of mysterious Operations, which we were especially to look to. And Hence it is that all the other Fathers interpreted the Miracles of _Jesus_ in a mystical and allegorical Sense. The Question then is, to what Miracles did _Jesus_ truly and properly appeal, in the Opinion of the Fathers, for his Authority and Messiahship? Was it to the Typical or Antitypal Works? was it to the _Shadow_ or to the _Substance_ of his Operations? To his substantial Operations, to be sure, which are and will be his spiritual ones upon the Soul, that are greater than those once done on Men's Bodies, and which will be a proper Proof of his divine Power. And to declare my Opinion freely, I am only for such a spiritual _Messiah_, who will cure the _Errors_ call'd the Diseases of Mankind, which _Jesus_ of _Nazareth_ has not as yet done. But not to dispute this Point with _Bishop Gibson_, I will leave him in the Enjoyment of his Opinion of his literal _Messiah_, and miraculous Operator on Men's Bodies; if he'll but indulge me in the Belief of my spiritual _Messiah_ to come for the healing of modern Distempers call'd the Sins and Errors of Mankind. And in the mean time let us draw the Comparison between his _literal_ and my _spiritual_ Jesus; and let the World judge, to whom the Preference is to be given for Power and Authority.